LOUISVILLE, Neb. (Sept. 8, 2004) — The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has granted Ash Grove Cement Co. permission to do a 60-day trial burn of scrap tires as a supplemental fuel at its Louisville cement plant.
The company will begin the test burn sometime early next year, and will apply to the state for permanent permission to use tire-derived fuel at Louisville if the burn is successful, a company spokesman said. Ash Grove must maintain the same emissions limits during the test burn as during its normal operations, the DEQ said, and state inspectors will monitor emissions and operations during the period.
“Ash Grove could use the majority of tires generated in eastern Nebraska, where most of the state's population is centered, and pretty much solve the scrap tire problem there,” said Michael Blumenthal, senior technical director for the Rubber Manufacturers Association.